from the higher Mountains of Nyika. -185 



Francolinus JOHNSTON!, Shelley, Ibis, 1894, p. 2i; 

 Ogilvie Grant, ' Game Birds/ i. p. 132 (1895) . 



Johnston''s Francolin is specially interesting as being one 

 of the few members of this large genus in which the male 

 and female differ widely from one another in the colour of 

 their plumage. The latter are, moreover, provided with one 

 or more pairs of powerful spurs, quite as large as those of 

 the male. In the allied F. hildehrandti, from East Africa, 

 the sexes were for many years supposed to represent 

 distinct species, the male being called F. altumi and the 

 female F. hildehrandti, while the fact of the adult female 

 being armed with spurs seemed to favour this opinion. I 

 have, however, already conclusively shown that F. altumi 

 and F. hildehrandti are merely opposite sexes of the same 

 species. 



The males of F.johnstoni and F. hildehrandti are easily 

 recognized by the differences in the black marking of the 

 underparts, but the females are remarkably alike, both 

 having the breast and belly dull brick-colour. 



The habits of these species are no doubt very similar, for 

 we know that F. hildehrandti inhabits the dense undergrowth 

 of Mount Kilimanjaro, and is seldom, if ever, to be found in 

 the open. 



Mr. Crawshay writes as follows : — 



" The Ocellated Francolin [F. johjistoni) is widely 

 distributed through British Central Africa ; in wooded 

 districts it is quite as common as Humboldt^s Francolin 

 [Ptemistes humboldti), but from its retiring habits is not 

 so often seen. 



" In its habits and haunts this bird is unique among the 

 Francolins of this part of Africa ; it frequents dense thickets 

 and dark forest where the sun scarcely penetrates. Here, 

 amongst the dead leaves, it may be heard making a great 

 rustling and scratching, while searching for the insects which 

 constitute, apparently, its sole food. It does not frequent 

 cultivated land. Rarely is it found in the open, and then 

 only on the very outskirts of the wood or thicket, in the early 

 mornings and late in the evenings, when, if disturbed, it at 

 once either runs or flies into cover. Its call is very striking, 



